title: The herbal formula CGX ameliorates the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in alcoholic liver fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Chunggan extract (CGX) is a traditional herbal formula prescribed for patients suffering from various liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, in which the mechanism of CGX action remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of CGX and its underlying mechanisms in alcohol-induced rat livers.
  
  
  METHODS
  To elucidate the mechanism of action of CGX, we evaluated gene expression profiles in the livers of rats treated with 30% alcohol and anti-fibrotic doses of CGX of 100 and 200 mg/kg/day at 1 day, and 2 and 4 weeks using microarrays. The mRNA and protein expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), one of the candidate genes selected in this study, in alcohol-induced rat livers were measured by real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 4128 genes as differentially expressed by at least twofold between alcohol-only- and alcohol-CGX-fed rats at various doses and time points, compared to naïve control animals. Twenty-three of these genes were associated with liver fibrosis and oxidative stress based on the GeneCards database, resulting in p<0.05 by ANOVA between the alcohol-only and alcohol-CGX groups. Especially, Vegf was decreased in CGX 200 mg/kg/day-fed rat livers at all time points evaluated, and mRNA and protein levels at the 4-week time point were validated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These gene expression profiles provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the anti-fibrotic effects of CGX. Suppression of VEGF may play a critical role in anti-fibrotic action of CGX in alcoholic liver injury.
authors.affiliation: (a)Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, 22-5 Daeheung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea; (b)NAR Center, Inc., Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyeong-Geug
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jin-Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hye-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Min-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Chang-Gue
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C000589484:chunggan; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
keywords: Adh; Alcoholic fibrosis; Aldh; CGX; CTGF; Chunggan extract; Gene expression profiling; HPLC; HSC; PDGF; PPAR; Rat liver; TGF; VEGF; alcohol dehydrogenase; aldehyde dehydrogenase; connective tissue growth factor; hepatic stellate cells; high-performance liquid chromate graphy; p53; peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; platelet-derived growth factor; protein 53; transforming growth factor; vascular endothelial growth factor